Book holder



T. J. FLAHIVE Aug. 3, 1965 BOOK HOLDER Filed Feb. 27, 1964 INVENTOIF. yr iafi 27/6 J X/ 86 32 omafi ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,198,475 BOOK HGLDER Thomas J. Flahive, Chicago, 51., assignor of one-half to Louis A. Darwin, Downers Grove, Ill. Filed Feb. 27, 1364, Ser. No. 347,730

' 6 Claims. (ill. 248-445) This invention relates to book holders and more specifically to a novel support therefor which may be locked in a plurality of positions.

This invention is an improvement over my construction shown in US. Patent No. 2,834,149 and is adapted to hold magazines, sheet articles and the like as well as books.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel holder or support for reading matter, in which a novel, simple and eflicient locking mechanism is provided to secure the holder in a selected angular position.

A further object of the invention is to provide'in a book support which comprises a holder portion pivotally mounted on a leg structure for swinging about a generally horizontal axis, a novel locking means comprising a spring loaded bolt on the leg structure which is selectively entered into any of a series of apertures in a part swingable with the holder portion to hold the holder portion in selected positions, one of the apertures being located. to hold the leg assembly and holder portion in folded position for compact storage and ease of shipping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel locking device between the holder and the support therefor such that the locking device is readily accessible and easily operated so that the book may be tilted to desired position while it is held in the holder without the necessity of removing the book, then adjusting the holder and then replacing the book within the holder.

More specifically, the invention comprehends provid ing the hinge flange of the holder portion with slots to serve as one locking element and utilizing a portion of one of the support legs as a mounting for the bolt in position to cooperate with the slots.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more readily apparent from the specifications and the drawings, wherein:

' FIGURE 1 is a right front perspective view of the book holder;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with portions of the holder shelves broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view with ken away;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-section on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the device in folded position.

Describing the invention in detail and having particular reference to the drawings, there is shown a book holder generally designated 2 comprising a holder portion 3 and a supporting leg assembly 4. The leg assembly comprises front and rear bail-type leg structures 5 and 6. The rear leg structure 5 comprises a bight portion 6' and generally parallel side portions 7 and 8 projecting upwardly'and forwardly as seen in FIGURE 1 from opposite ends of the bight portion 6' which is provided with suitable spaced sleeves 9' and 18' of rubber or other nonmarring material for seating upon any suitable supporting surface such as a table or the like.

portions bro- The leg sides 7 and 8 or portions have forward end segments 9 and 10 which are angled upwardly and at their distal ends 11 and 12 are pivoted by coaxial rivets or 3,198,475 Patented Aug. 3, .1965

ice

pivot members 13 and 14 on a generally horizontal axis to the upper ends 16 and 17 of the side elements 18 and 19 of the front leg structure 6. The elements 18 and 19 merge at their lower ends into opposite ends of the bight element 24 of leg structure 6. The bight element 20 is also provided with rubber or plastic sleeves 21, 21 which is adapted to engage the support surface such as a table or the like. 7 I

It will be noted that the distal edges 22, 33 of the side elements 18 and 19 are rounded and concentric with the axis of the pins 13 and 14 to accommodate passage of the locking lugs 24, 25 which extend from the ends 11 and 12 substantially normal to the planes of the legs 18 and 19 and engage with their forward edges 26, 27 to limit the angular spread of the leg structures 5 and 6.

The holder' portion 3 comprises a generally rectangular body 30 which is elongated axially of the pivot axis of the leg structures and spans the space between the pivots 13 and 14. The body 30 has an upright front wall with rearwardly directed end flanges 32, 33 which arepivoted re:

spectively on the pivots 13 and 14 outwardly of the leg structures. The front wall has a pair of upwardly projecting book or article holding tabs 34, 35 which oppose and cooperate with backing plates 36 and 37 which are mounted on parallel arms 38, 39 and 40, 41 respectively, by means of pivot pins 42, 43, and 44, 45.

The pins 42, 43 extend vertically through the outer ends of the arms 38, 39 and through top and bottom flanges 46, 47 of a bracket 48 which is formed integral with the lower edge of plate 36. The flanges 46, 47 are disposed respectively above and below the arms 38, 39 and are interconnected by a vertical rear wall or web 50 which is disposed behind the arms 38, 39. Similarly pins 44, 45 extend vertically through the outer ends of arms 40, 41 and through top and bottom flanges 51 and 52 of bracket 53 which is formed with its top flange 51 integral with the lower edge of plate 37 and extends rearwardly therefrom. The flanges 51 and 52 are disposed respectively above and below the arms 40, 41 and are interconnected by a vertical web 54 which is disposed behind the arms 40, 41.

The lower edges of the plates 36 and 37 are provided,

edge of a book which is fitted between the tabs 34, 35 and the plates 36,37.

The backing plates 36, 37 are biased toward the tabs 34, 35 to hold a sheaf of pages 58 or those of a book inserted therebetween, by a torsion spring 60 which has its coil portion 61 sleeved over an upright pin 62 which extends through intercalated portions of the inner ends of the legs 38, 40 and through the bottom wall 63' of the body portion of the holder substantially medially between the ends thereof and through a centrally disposed lug 64 projecting rearwardly from the upper edge 65 of the front wall 31 of the body portion 30. The end por tions 66, 67 of spring 60 react against the back sides of legs 38, 40 urgingthem forwardly. The inner ends of arms 39,41 pivot on an upright pin 68 which extends through the lug 64 and bottom wall 63. Thus the backing plates are carried on parallel arms and in moving toward and away with respect to the opposing tabs are held generally parallel thereto.

The hinge or end flange 32 has a rear edge 70 curved substantially concentric with pin 13 and flange 32 is provided with a plurality of slots 71 extending inwardly from edge 70. These slots 71 selectively receive a bolt 73 therein, said bolt being formed as an extension of the top wall 74 of a box-like body of spring latch generally designated 75.

The latch 75, in addition to wall 74 has side walls 76,

13 77 depending from wall 74 and a bottom wall 78 which extends from wall 76 to wall 77 and with the other walls provides an enclosure 79 for a compression spring 80.

The latch is sleeved over the side member segment 9 and has its inner side wall 76 slidably engaging the inner face 81 of portion 9. The spring 80 is disposed between portion 9 and the wall 77 and reacts between a seat 82 in the form of a flange 83 on an L-shaped bracket 84 which has itsother flange 85 secured as by welding to portion 9.

The spring 80 bears against a front wall 86 of the latch and urges the latch toward the hinge flange 32 engaging the bolt portion within the respective slots.

It will be noted that the seat 82 and wall 86 are not normally disposed with respect to the parallel walls 76, 77 and that the spring 80 thus develops a lateral thrust on the latch whereby the front edge portion 87 of the inner wall 76 is biased inwardly of leg portion 9. This action is developed so that in the folded position of the device as shown in FIGURE 6 wall 76 is caused to releasably engage against the outer side 88 the side ele-.

ment 18 of the leg structure 6 while the bolt portion 73 of the latch extends into the top slot 90 in the upper edge 91 of the hinge flange 32.

The angularity of the leg sides 7 and 8 causes the portions 92, 93 of these legs to fold into the plane of the body portion.

It will be noted that the portion 20 has forwardly projecting hooks 94 which serve as holders for a large copy.

From the folded position shown in FIGURE 6, the leg portion 6 is swung rearwardly against the resistance of the latch body 75 with the bolt portion 73 sliding edgewise in slot 90. The legs and 6 are positioned as shown in FIGURE 3 with the lugs 24, 25 engaging edges 26, 27 of legs 18 and 19 of part 5 as seen in FIGURE 2 and the latch body is pressed back to release the bolt portion from notch 90 and entered into any selected notch 71 disposing the backing plates 36, 37 in any desired position. The book is entered between plates 36, 37 and tabs 34, by manually springing the plates rearwardly. If angular adjustment of the book is required the user merely presses the latch body rearwardly with his thumb and then swings the book and holder portion about the pins 13 and 14 until the desired position is obtained. The latch is then released and the spring causes the body and bolt portions to move forwardly entering the .bolt portion into the appropriate slot 71. The outer and inner members 5 and 6 are U-shaped supports and are fitted one within the other.

. Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be realized that various other modifications will now become readily apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

Y 1. In a bookholder and the like, a pair of leg structures pivotally interconnected at one of their ends for swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis, book holding means having a body portion pivoted to said leg structures on said axis, said body portion having a part extending alongside One leg structure and presenting a series of notches, a latch having a body mounted on said one leg structure, said body having limited lateral movement and movable toward and away with respect to said part and having a bolt selectively positionable in any of said notches, and means yieldably biasing said latch body laterally and in a direction toward said part, the other of said leg structures swingable past said latch body and releasably engageable thereby.

2. In a device of the class described, a holder, a pair of leg members pivotally interconnected with the holder on a common axis, and latch means mounted on one leg member and having a common part spring biased in a direction releasably engaging the holder in selected angular positions about said axis and releasably engaging the other leg member in a predetermined position thereof.

3. The combination of leg structures interconnected pivotally about a generally horizontal axis for extension into a pyramidal operational position and into a foldedposition for storage with the leg structures telescoped one within the other,a holder pivotally supported on said leg structures for tilting about said axis, latch means on one of said leg structures and said holder having selectively interengaging means for holding said holder in a plurality of tilted positions coincident with said leg structures being positioned in operational position and for holding said one leg structure in folded position, said latch means having a portion extending into the path of movement of the other leg structure from operational to folded positions and said other leg structure in the folded position thereof being disposed between said holder and said portion of said latch means.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and said latch means comprising a housing sleeved over a portion of said one leg structure, said housing including a portion of said interengaging means, spring means stressed between the housing and said portion of said one leg structure and oriented to provide a force component urging said housing portion into holding position to said holder and laterally into said position in the path of movement of said other leg structure.

5. The invention according to claim 3 and said latch comprising a part slidable .on a portion of said one leg structure and having a bolt extending toward said holder, and said holder having a plurality of slots oriented to accommodate entry and withdrawal of the bolt and lateral movement of the bolt within the slot in a direction toward and away with respect to the other leg structure.

6. In a device for supporting a book and the like in a plurality of positions, a support, and a holder pivotally mounted on the support, and means for holding the holder on the support in a plurality of positions, and

said support comprising a plurality of legs pivotally inter connected on a substantially horizontal axis, and abutment means on at least one leg extending axially of the axis of pivot and engaging with the other leg at one side of said axis, and said other leg having a distal edge concentric with said axis accommodating movement of the abutment means aboutsaid edge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,250,808 7/41 Lynch 248-464 2,567,626 9/51 Trouslot 297-369 2,834,149 5/58 Flahive et al 248-445 3,027,679 4/62 Norvell 248-449 3,126,664 3/64 Gibson 248-463 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BOOKHOLDER AND THE LIKE, A PAIR OF LEG STRUCTURES PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS OF SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, BOOK HOLDING MEANS HAVING A BODY PORTION PIVOTED TO SAID LEG STRUCTURES ON SAID AXIS, SAID BODY PORTION HAVING A PART EXTENDING ALONGSIDE ONE LEG STRUCTURE AND PRESENTING A SEIES OF NOTCHHES, A LATCH HAVING A BODY MOUNTED ON SAID ONE LEG STRUCTURE, SAID BODY HAVING LIMITED LATERAL MOVEMENT AND MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY WITH RESPECT TO SAID PART AND HAVING A BOLT SELECTIVELY POSITIONABLE IN ANY OF SAID NOTCHES, AND MEANS YIELDABLY BIASING SAID LATCH BODY LATERALLY AND IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID PART, THE OTHER OF SAID LEG STRUCTURES SWINGABLE PAST SAID LATCH BODY AND RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE THEREBY. 